This invention pertains to household and commercial garbage disposers and a device to inhibit entry of iron/steel items into the disposer.
Garbage disposers have been used in households and commercial establishments such as restaurants, hotels, inns, as well as butcher shops and grocery stores on a large scale since the 1950""s. These work on the principle that material introduced through a neck at the sink bottom into a hopper is spun around at high speed. As the waste is spun around, it impacts impellers mounted in the floor of the hopper, which impellers can also serve as cutters. Other cutting edges are mounted on the sidewall of the hopper. As the hopper rotates at high speed, the centrifugal force displaces the waste material at the cutters and cutting edges. Here the relatively soft waste food, and even some bones are chopped up into small pieces to be washed down the drain with cold water (preferably) that enters through the neck of the disposer, from the faucet of the sink. Home use disposers have motors that vary from about ⅓rd to xc2xe hp. The stronger the motor the more expensive and better the grinding operation as more food waste, vegetable ends and peelings will be consumed and to a greater degree.
Unfortunately, people are prone to have accidents. From time to time, a stainless steel fork or other ferrous containing utensils might fall into the disposer. More often than not, the fork or other utensils comes out with nicks and cuts, or is broken into several partsxe2x80x94all with the space of a few seconds from the time of actuation of the disposer. In addition the impellers are subject to breakage and the grinding edges can become quickly worn.
But accidents do happen, and especially in households where children partake in cleanup after dinner as well as in salad or other food preparation chores prior to the meal.
Thus the need for a device to inhibit the accidental introduction of steel/iron objects into the disposer is seen to be of benefit to many people.
It is one object of this invention to provide a device that inhibits the entry of stainless flatware and other kitchen utensils, such as corn cob holders from falling into the hopper of a garbage disposer.
It is a second object to provide a magnetic inhibitor for metallic objects to be disposed around the mouth of a garbage disposer.
It is a third object to provide an annular magnetic sized to fits within the throat of a garbage disposer to prevent entry of ferrous utensils into the disposer.
These and other objects can be accomplished by the provision of a flexible coated magnetic strip that can be bent into a circle for retention by a gripping member, which magnetic strip when lent and retained form the annular device of this invention. An H-shaped member is used to retain the two ends of the magnetic in the form of a circle.
Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.
The invention accordingly comprises the device possessing the features properties and the relation of components which are exemplified in the following detailed disclosure and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the appended claims.
For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention reference should be made to the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Applicant is aware of only one relevant U.S. Patent, that being Van Gelder, U.S. Pat. No. 6,000,643, who deploys a segmented ceramic magnet. The device of this patent application is significantly better than the prior art in carrying out the assigned task; protecting the neck of the disposer from the entry of magnetic objects.